Between a tough conference schedule and many injuries, the ASU women's soccer team looked to bounce back and break a four-game losing streak against California Thursday night.
After playing four of its last five games away in the Pacific Northwest, the Sun Devils (6-9-2, 1-7-1 Pac-12) faced No. 18 California (13-2-2, 6-1-2 Pac-12) at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium.
While ASU showed tremendous grit during tough times, the team ultimately fell to Cal, 2-0.
Junior defender Madison Stark played an exceptional 90 minutes for ASU and said although her team lost, it was a step in the right direction.
“Being on the road was tough, we needed to get a result at home but I thought today we came out with a lot of energy and played super well against a ranked team,” Stark said.
So proud of this group tonight https://t.co/4bmQitNHjb
— Madison Stark (@madstarkk) October 28, 2016
Two goals late in the second half drew the defeat of ASU.
Cal took the lead in the 75th minute from redshirt junior midfielder Kelly Fitzgerald. The Golden Bears were parading around the 18-yard box with ASU unable to gain possession resulting in a 30-yard shot from Fitzgerald.
The Bears scored again in the 84th minute off a controversial penalty kick. Arielle Ship took the shot for Cal and came up big, giving her team a 2-0 lead.
Head coach Kevin Boyd said his team played well in both halves, but attributed Cal’s possession to a tired second-half team.
“They got a 30-yard goal which is uncommon and then a penalty kick late, but I think we played really well," he said.
In the first half, ASU and Cal were evenly matched. The Sun Devils took three shots with two being on goal, while the Bears had six shots with just one on target.
Senior forward Larisa Staub said she is making the most of the two games she has left. Thursday she recorded one shot on goal that narrowly missed.
“I’m so proud of our team for coming together,” Staub said. “We kept attacking the net no matter how much time we had on the clock.”
Boyd believed his team responded well to the challenges they encountered against Cal.
“We are playing for pride, we are representing our school and we knew this was a good team and that we would be the underdogs,” Boyd said.
Redshirt senior midfielder Lucy Lara started for her first game back since Oct. 15 when the Sun Devils played against USC.
“We got Lucy back and you can see the difference it makes,” Boyd said. “She creates something out of nothing.”
Two offensive standouts that haven’t seen the pitch in weeks are junior forward Jazmarie Mader and junior midfielder Aly Moon — both out with concussions.
Mader’s valuable role in the front line is missed as she leads ASU with eight goals on the season. Moon’s absence of playmaking and presence in the middle is also felt throughout the team.
“When all three of them have been out it's been hard for us to get chances and get goals,” Boyd said.
On Sunday, Boyd wants his team to come out with the same fire as they did against Cal.
“I like it best when I go out to the huddle and don’t have to say a word,” Boyd said. “When I can feel the energy that means we can step back and let them go.”
The Sun Devils go on to face No. 1 Stanford at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium on Sunday at 3 p.m.
Reach the reporter at kcvalen1@asu.edu or follow @kvalenzuela17 on Twitter.
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